Adjustable gravity ball projector



April 11, 1950 A. LAMPRECHT ADJUSTABLE GRAVITY BALL PROJECTOR FOR GAME BOARDS Filed June 5, 1946 Patented Apr. 11, 1950 ADJUSTABLE GRAVITY BALL PROJECTOR FOR GAME BOARDS Alois Lamprecht, Cheektowaga, N. Y.

Application June 5, 1946, Serial No. 674,430

3 Claims. I

This invention relates to games in which a ball is rolled in an aimed direction from one end of a game board toward the opposite end thereof, and more particularly to apparatus for projecting the ball on its course.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide such a ball projector which can be moved transversely of the game board and which can also be rotated about a substantially vertical axis so that the ball can be projected in an desired direction toward the target at the opposite end of the board.

Another object is to provide such a ball projector which is manually operable in a simple manner.

Another object is to provide such a ball projector which retains the bal1 on the projector until the same is aimed as desired and then manually actuated to project the ball on its aimed course.

Another object is to provide such a ball projector which can be easily removed from the game board so that the complete unit may be shipped in a collapsed and compact condition.

Other objects are to provide such a ball projector which is simple in construction, capable of standing up under abusive use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portable bowling alley game incorporating my new ball projector.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a bottom elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, longitudinal, partial section through my ball projector and associated parts.

The ball projector forming the subject of the present invention is shown in the drawings in conjunction with an indoor, portable bowling alley game having a fiat surface along which the ball rolls, although it will be understood that my ball projector can be employed in or adapted for any game in which a ball is rolled in an aimed direction from one end of a game board toward the opposite end thereof.

The bowling alley game illustrated in the drawings comprises an elongated flat board 80 arranged at a slight incline along its major axis and supported at its lower end by an end board II and side boards l2l2, the opposite higher end being supported by a transverse leg 13. The leg is is provided with an opening through which an inclined ball return trough I4 is arranged and the opposite end of this trough is suitably mounted on the end board II. The top of the game board Ill on either side thereof is provided with a gutter l5 adjacent the end board II and side boards I! which leads to a hole Hi, this hole being located immediately above the trough H. A pluralit of ten pins 11 are shown as standing in the usual arrangement on the game board Ill.

The ball projecting apparatus is arranged on the top of the game board In at the opposite end thereof and comprises a pair of transversely spaced support members 20-2ll secured in any suitable manner to the board and a transverse rod 2| mounted on these members. A block 22 is slidably and rotatably mounted on the rod 2| and carries an upstanding pin or spindle 23. A ramp member 24 in the form of a generally triangularly shaped block is relatively movably mounted on the pin 23. For this purpose, the ramp member 24 is provided with a bore 25 near its rear side which receives a portion of the pin 23 and is adapted to slide and turn thereon, the bore 25 at its lower end being enlarged, as indicated at 26, to receive a coil spring 21. The coil spring 21 surrounds the lower portion of the pin 23 and the lower end of the spring bears against the top of the block 22 and the upper end of the spring bears against the shoulder in the ramp member 24 formed by the bore 25 and counterbore 28. The top side of the ramp member which inclines downwardly from its high rear end to its front end is provided with a ball guide groove 28 which permits the ball to leave the ramp at about the level of the top surface of the game board l0 and moving in a direction approximately tangential thereto. However, the profile of the top side of the ramp member may be of an suitable contour. The rear end of the ball guide groove 28 adjacent the upper end of the bore 25 is slightly spherically recessed, as indicated at 29. so as to retain the ball 30, as shown in Fig. 2. To actuate the projector the ramp member 24 is manually pressed downwardly and to facilitate this a cleat or rib 3| is secured to each side of the ramp member 24.

The bowling alley game is played b placing the board assembly on a table or other suitable supporting surface and arranging the ten pins II in the usual manner on the board. The ball 30 is placed on its seat 25 and the other parts are in the condition shown in Fig. 2. The operator then by hand shifts the ramp member 24 from side to side transversely of the board Hi. this being permitted by the block 22 sliding on the rod 2!, and also swings the ramp member about the axis of the pin 23 until the projector has been aimed as desired. The operator then preferably places his thumbs on the ribs 3| without disturbing the adjustment of the projector and presses down. This causes the ramp member to pivot about its point of contact with the board i and the rear end of the ramp member slides down on the pin 23 and compresses the spring 21 causing the upper end of the pin to move out of the bore 25 and push the ball 30 out of its spherical seat 29, as shown in Fig. 4. The ball then milk by gravity down the inclined groove 28 and onto the board Ill toward the ten pins II. The ramp member is preferably held depressed until the ball rolls oil" the same so as not to diam its adjustment. When the downward pressure on the ramp member is removed the spring 21 expands and returns the parts to their respective positions shown in Fig. 2. After striking the tempins the ball will enter the gutter l and be directed toward the hole It through which it drops onto the rearwardly and downwardly inclined ball return trough l4, rolling (khan-eon to the opposite end where it may be picked up again by the operator and placed on the spherical seat 29 of the projector.

It will be noted that the movement or the ramp member 24 relative to the pin 23 will cause the pin to rotate slightly about the axis of the transverse rod 2|, the mounting of the block 22 on the rod permitting this slight rotational movement.

The bore 25 may also be suiiicienily larger in diameter than the spindle 23 to permit the ramp member 24 to be laterally titted to one side or the other a slight amount relative to the spindle. With the ramp member slightly tilted, I have found that the ball leaves the ramp member with a spin which causes the ball to follow a curved course as it rolls along the board. In this manner, the ball simulates a so-called hook ball widely used in full sized bowling alleys.

The ball projector can be disassembled by lifting the ramp member 24 and spring 2! on the spindle 23. If it is desired to collapse the complete game apparatus, to ship the same in compact form for example, the ramp member can be laid flat on the board it and the spindle 23 can be placed in a horizontal position by turning the same about the transverse rod 2!.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ball projector for use in playing games of amusement of the kind in which a ball is rolled upon a game board, comprising an upwardly extending spindle movabl 1 mounted for translational movement transversely of the board and also for pivotal movement in a plane intersecting the board and extending longitudinally thereof, a ramp member having a bore near its rear end receiving said spindle so as to be slidable and swivelable thereon. spring means arranged to support the rear end of said ramp member in an elevated position on said spindle and with the center of gravity of said ramp member being so positioned as to cause the front end of said ramp member to engage the board, and a seat on the top of said ramp member adjacent the upper end of said bore, the bail being forced from said seat by the upper end of said spindle when said ramp member is fulcrumed on its said front end by pressing the rear end of said ramp member downwardly against the urging of said spring means thereby to cause said ball to roll by gravity down said ramp member and onto the board, said spring means returning the rear end of said ramp member to its original elevated position when the downward pressure thereon is removed.

2. A ball projector for use in playing games of amusement of the kind in which a ball is rolled upon a game board, comprising a transverse rod mounted on the board, an upwardly extending spindle slidably and rotatably mounted on said rod, a ramp member having a bore near its rear end extending completely through said ramp member and receiving said spindle so as to be slidable and swivelable thereon, said bore being enlarged at its lower end", a coil spring surrounding the lower portion of said spindle and arranged in said enlarged portion of said bore and adapted to support the rear end of said ramp member in an elevated position on said spindle so that the upper end of said spindle does not protrude through said bore and with the center of gravity of said ramp member being so positioned as to cause the front end of said ramp member to engage the board, a retaining seat for the ball on the top of said ramp member adjacent the upper end of said bore, and a ball guide groove on the top of said ramp member and leading from said seat to the front end of said ramp member, the ball being forced from said seat by the upper end of said spindle when said ramp member is ulcrumed on its said front end by pressing therear end oi said ramp member downwardly against the urging of said spring thereby to cause said ball to roll by gravity down said groove and approximately tangentially onto the board, said spring returning the rear end of said ramp member to its original elevated position when the downward pressure thereon is removed.

3. A ball projector for use in playing games of amusement of the kind in which a ball is rolled upon a game board, comprising an upwardly extending spindle movably mounted for translational movement transversely of the board and also for pivotal movement in a plane intersecting the board and extending longitudinally thereof, a ramp member having a bore near its rear end receiving said spindle, said bore being larger in diameter than said spindle so that said ramp member is slidable, swivelable and laterally tiltable thereon, spring means arranged to support the rear end of sad ramp member in an elevated position on said spindle and with the center of gravity of said ramp member being so positioned as to cause the front end of said ramp member to engage the board, a seat on the top of said ramp member adjacent the upper end of said bore, and a ball guide groove on the top of said ramp member and leading from said seat to the front end oi said ramp member, the ball being forced from said seat by the upper end of said spindle when said ramp member is fulcrumed on its said front end by pressing the rear end of said ramp member downwardly against the urging of said spring thereby to cause the ball to roll by gravity down said groove and onto the board, said spring means returning the rear end of said ramp member to its original elevated position when the downward pressure thereon is removed.

ALOIS LAIVIPRECZHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,454,982 Pye May 15, L923 1,788,336 Schneider Jan. 6, 1931 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 432,643 Germany Aug. 11), 1.926 

